Is student centred learning best?

Just before returning to face a new term, I thought I would reflect on why I do what I do as an educator.  Whether in the 21st century or the 1st century, some things remain constant. As a Christian educator, what draws me back into the classroom each term, why I get a warm feeling when a student says they missed me, why I get excited about completing our maths lesson that was left hanging at the end of term, is because of an age old concept -some call it mentoring. I just love the aspect of my job that draws me into a mentoring role with my students, where they know I am available for advice and guidance, to point them in a helpful direction, or in true 21st century learning lingo....to help them find their own direction... the last in that list, however, I only move towards when I am pretty confident they will end up on the right track owning a good decision.  It may seem so last century to use phrases like right track and good decision. Maybe it would be more appropriate to say the right track for them or a helpful/practical decision....but I do actually believe in a moral objective truth and also in objective truths about the physical and intellectual worlds. Encouraging students to construct and co-construct and globally collaboratively construct their own versions of truth and knowledge could possibly be somewhat reckless without a strong moral compass and without active mentorship. I believe in active questioning, I believe in students owning their learning and owning their faith should they choose to have one, but I am not sure if I believe in jumping into a pedagogical river that flows towards an entirely student centred learning experience.

Standardised testing - should it be abandoned?

When we provide an array of alternative methods for students to be assessed, we believe we are doing a good thing. We are veering away from the archaic standardised 'one size fits all' approach and are providing students with the opportunity to demonstrate their learning in a way that works well for them. This makes them comfortable in the learning process and increases motivation. 

This seems like a great idea, a pedagocically justifiable idea, to be encouraged. I have just been  wondering about the pendulum swinging too far from traditional assessment techniques. Of course it is great to have a variety of ways for students to be assessed and we should embrace those so as to provide choice but don't we also need to find ways to motivate them to do the things that are necessary but that they don't like doing? ...like tests? Learning is not always comfortable and we as teachers want to make it comfortable so students gain confidence and increase motivation, however, it can be particularly uncomfortable for a student if he/she is unprepared for the pressure of written exams in secondary school if they have been provided too much opportunity to opt out of that style of assessment. Too much is probably the key phrase...are we chucking the proverbial baby out with the bath water? 

Friends, fans or simply names on a list?

What does it really mean to have hundreds of friends? When do friends become fans?

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/05/is-facebook-making-us-lonely/308930/

Are we becoming so connected, we are becoming disconnected?

This is a fascinating look at the effects of social media. Sherry Turkle makes the comment that the internet is in its infancy. We need to 'grow it up' I sometimes feel like we are eating the internet lollies, we are like kids at a party and are starting to realise that we need to eat meat and veg too and we need to stop eating sometimes.
http://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together.html

Deep Thinking: Is it at risk in the digital age?

The Internet is a fascinating intellectual tool. We seem to have embraced it over the years without much reserve and without asking too many uncomfortable questions about it. Any tool exerts an influence over those who use it. When I choose to use my car (a tool), I have the freedom to live further than walking distance from my work, I can get to the hospital in an emergency really quickly....but do I lose anything? Do I know my neighbours as well as I could? Do I get enough exercise? Do I need to make a deliberate effort to retain what I might lose because it is valuable?

Research seems to be suggesting that we are at risk of losing the skill of deep thinking as we skim and scan and power browse our way through the information we have at our fingertips on the Internet. Have a look at http://youtu.be/tXDGh8v-OhA

I would love to hear your thoughts on this as we seem to be diving into digital learning in education without pausing to ask whether we are losing some critical intellectual skills.